Having a manicure can be conducted at home and/or at a salon by nail technicians. The word manicure originated from the Latin words manus meaning hand and cure for care. This service is a cosmetic treatment for the nails or the hands or for both nails and hands.

Commonly, manicure is simply about filing and the nail shaping and then use of polish. Some manicure services are made especially for the hands as well as the feet. Special manicure service for hands usually includes the soaking and use of a substance for softening and the use of lotion. The pedicure is simply the special application of the same treatment of the toenails and feet.

Aside from the standard polishing, filing and painting, manicure services also include acrylics, which is the use of artificial tips and nail gels. In some cases, manicure may also include the service of painting pictures and the application of decals and other imitation jewelry on the nails.

Most areas require manicurists to have a license and to follow strict regulations. Since the skin is usually manipulated as it is also trimmed during manicure, there is concern about the possible putting risk of spreading infection if the tools had been used on different people. This is why in the manicure business, the sanitation and cleanliness of the tools used is regarded with utmost importance.

History of Manicure

Manicure is said to have started in India more than 5000 years ago and henna was still the one used. It was termed as mehendi which is utilized synonymously with the word henna, and was derived from the Sanskrit mehandika. The Dowager Empress of China, Cixi was also known to maintain long naturally developed nails.

On the other hand, French manicures were created to resemble the natural nail using a base of natural pink and white tips. This is made by painting the tips with white and the rest of the nail is painted in a pink or suitable shade of nude. This manicure style has started in eighteenth century Paris and had become popular during the 1920s up to the 30s. This manicure style is usually chosen because it gives nails a natural appearance and is very simple.

Special Manicure Treatments

Nail Hardening - nail hardening can be achieved with the use of a fluoride treatment. It is said that Fluoride can harden nails similar to the way it is able to harden teeth. Some nail fluoride treatment contains Ammonium Hexafuorophosphate which is the kind of fluoride also found in commercial toothpastes.

Paraffin treatments - This treatment is used to soften and moisturize the hands through the process of dipping them into melted paraffin wax. These types of wax may be heated to above 100 degrees F temperatures and they still wont burn or injure the hands. The heat provides a deeper amalgamation of emollient as well as essential oils. Some waxes are infused with botanical ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile and tea tree oil.

There are a lot of treatments that can be applied in manicure aside from the usual filing, cleaning and application of polish. Like cosmetologists focusing on hairstyling, manicurists also have good training skills and will provide you with the kind of service and treatment that your hands and feet thoroughly deserve.